"What do you want to do after school?" Luna questioned, as they settled down on a spot in the grass.
Draco turned to her, a brow raised, "What do you mean?"
"After all this," She moved her hand around them in a sweeping gesture, "After you leave Hogwarts."
"Oh." He paused for a moment, "My parents will want me to get married."
"Married? To who?" Luna didn't know why, but the thought of Draco marrying someone other than her made her very uncomfortable.
"Pureblood…Maybe even Pansy."
"Oh."
A moment of silence passed between them.
"And you?" He asked, turning to look at Luna, "What are you going to do?"
Luna shrugged, "I'm not sure yet. My father wants me to take over the Quibbler."
"And you don't want to do that?"
"Well, I don't want to upset him," Luna answered, glancing down at her hands.
"Which actually means, you don't want to do it."
Luna looked up sharply, and was surprised to see that Draco wasn't smirking at her. Instead, a gentle smile filled his lips.
"It's okay," He nodded, "I understand what it feels like to have a family that wants you to do something you have no interest in doing."
"You can say no, you know," Luna pursed her lips, "You can marry for love."
"For love?" Draco scoffed, "You've clearly never met my father."
Luna crossed her legs and shrugged, "Well its your decision who you marry, Draco, nobody else but you should make that decision." She turned to look up at the darkening sky, and closed her eyes. The wind bit at her cheeks, but Luna didn't mind all that much.
"Luna."
"Hum?" She looked to her side and found that Draco had shuffled closer towards her.
"Have you ever been kissed by a boy?"
Luna's eyes widened and she shook her head slowly, "No."
"Mmm." She expected Draco to lean in, to press his lips to her and pull her closer. But when he didn't she breathed a sigh.
Of relief or disappointment, Luna wasn't quite sure.
"Have you ever been kissed by a girl?" She felt stupid asking him. Of course he had.
He was the Slytherin sex god, after all. She'd heard plenty of girls talk about how much fun he was in bed.
"A few." He smirked, "None of them really mattered though."
Luna knew he was suggesting something. She nodded, and turned away, not wanting to be drawn in by those liquid molten eyes of his.
"I've always wondered what it will be like."
"To do what?" Draco raised a questioning brow.
"To be kissed," Luna shrugged, "It's never been a priority though."
"Why not?"
"Well, boys have just never been interested in me," Draco was surprised to note that he found no trace of bitterness in Luna's voice, "I suppose I can't really compete with girls like Hermione Granger or even Pansy Parkinson." If any other girl had said something like that, Draco would have instantly thought they were fishing for compliments. But with Luna, it was different. He knew she was just being honest, and he had to admit, that intrigued him.
"Not even Longbottom?"
"Neville?" Luna turned to him and laughed, "Oh no. I wanted him to kiss me for a very long time…but I think he likes Hannah Abbott."
"Hannah Abbott?"
"Yes, she's a Hufflepuff."
"So he chose a Hufflepuff, over a beautiful Ravenclaw?" Draco shook his head, "He's stupider than I thought."
Luna's heart flipped at Draco's words. He'd told her before that he thought she was hot…but now she was beautiful too?
"Oh well Neville didn't even know I wanted him to kiss me. How could he?"
Draco didn't understand Luna's kindness. And how could he? He'd always gotten his own way through force.
"Have you ever kissed Pansy?" Luna questioned, her big blue eyes unblinking.
Draco scratched the back of his neck, "A couple of times."
The truth was, he'd spent the last six months engaging in casual sex with Pansy, and he assumed this must be the reason she was following him around all the time.
"Mmm." Luna turned back to stare up at the sky, and Draco found himself studying her.
She wasn't exceptionally beautiful, like many of the girls Draco knew. But there was something about her; an air of innocence, of forgiveness, that drew him in. For a moment, he felt bad that he was going to ruin that; that he was going to ruin Luna. But he shook the thought away hurriedly. Since when did he, a Malfoy, feel guilt?
"Maybe we should be getting back," Luna turned to him, one side of her mouth upturned into a smile, "It's getting late."
Draco nodded, standing up slowly, and offering Luna his hand. She took it gently, and pulled herself up, gasping when she tripped and fell onto Draco's chest. She found herself staring into his steely grey eyes, and was soon lost in their beauty. True, Draco's silver orbs spoke of terrible secrets and a hardness that hid much of what he was really feeling. But Luna could see something else in their depth. A surprising softness, that took her off guard.
Draco cleared his throat, "Shall we?"
She nodded, wordlessly, having had her voice taken away from her at their close proximity. She allowed Draco to steer her back towards school, and shivered when she felt his cold hand brush against her much smaller palm. Something about Draco Malfoy was driving her insane, and she was beside herself trying to figure out what it was.
They walked in silence, and Luna used this time to try to comprehend what was happening to her.
The burning of her cheeks, the butterflies swimming around her stomach, the way her heart was beating so fast and loud against her ribs. What was happening to her?
Draco insisted on walking her to her dormitory, and Luna found that she didn't have the strength to argue.
"Well this is my stop." They halted outside the portal leading into the Ravenclaw dormitories.
"It was nice to spend some time with you, Lovegood."
"Likewise, Draco."
"I'll see you around Luna."
"I hope so," She answered truthfully.
Draco nodded once, before turning away and departing down the corridor, leaving a very taken Luna Lovegood in his wake.
...
"Have you shagged her yet?" Blaise Zabini slipped into his usual seat opposite Draco on the Slytherin table.
Draco's eyes narrowed, "Will you be a little more careful, Zabini?"
"About what?" He smirked, "Nobody knows who we're talking about anyway."
Draco rolled his eyes, "To answer your question, not I haven't quite shagged her yet." There was a note of sarcasm to his tone. He caught the look on Blaise's face and groaned, "These things take time!"
"What things?" Pansy slid in beside Draco.
"None of your business," Draco growled almost a little aggressively.
"Oh Drakey don't be like that," She pouted and Malfoy watched as Blaise struggled to keep a straight face, "Guess what?"
"What?"
"I bought a new lipstick," She puckered her lips, "It's called Ruby Red."
Draco thought the colour made her mouth look like it was bleeding.
"Oh."
She raised a brow, "Aren't you going to compliment it?"
"I don't think it suits you." This time Blaise did laugh.
"Well!" She shook her head, "That's not very nice!"
"Neither is that colour, on you." Draco suddenly had an absurd thought that perhaps that colour would look much, much nicer on Luna Lovegood.
"Draco!" She shoved his arm in her usual brattish way and sighed, "God you men are all the same."
"I think that colour looks lovely on you," Blaise commented, smiling gently.
"Oh," Pansy blushed wildly, "Thank you Blaise! At least somebody appreciates my hard work."
Draco held his tongue because he didn't feel like getting in an argument today, and instead looked towards the Ravenclaw table, where a very lonely looking Luna Lovegood sat, pushing her food around her plate mindlessly.
"Excuse me," Draco picked up his tray and stood, only stopping when Pansy jerked him back downwards, "Parkinson, let go of me."
"Where are you going, sweetie?"
"To sit a the Ravenclaw table."
Pansy's eyes widened and she looked like she was going to fall off her chair, "WHAT?"
"You heard me," He rolled his eyes, "Oh come on. It's not like I've decided to go sit with the Gryffindors. Now let go of me."
In her completely shock, Pansy could barely sit up straight, let alone hold onto Malfoy with any kind of secure grip. Her finger fell from his clothing and he smirked, making his way over to Lovegood. She looked up when he placed his tray beside her.
"Draco?" One blonde brow raised up right into her forehead.
"Lovegood."
"What are you doing here?"
"Sitting beside you," He grinned, "Eating lunch."
"Oh." Her big blue eyes widened, "Why?"
"I told you Luna. I want to be friends." Draco felt something scratch against his chest. Was it…guilt? He shuddered at the unfamiliar feeling.
Malfoys do not feel guilty…about anything.
He shook the feeling away and focused on the blonde haired Ravenclaw staring up at him, confused.
"You don't mind all the people seeing us?"
"I couldn't give a shit, actually." He laughed at the way her mouth dropped into a frown when he cursed.
"Draco!" She scolded as though he were a child, "Language."
"Yes mother."
"Oh I almost forgot," Luna reached into her satchel and brought out a Ravenclaw pin, "I got this for you."
He took the crest in his hand and stared at it, one brow arched.
"What's this for?"
"Well I thought maybe since we're friends, you'd want to support my house." She pointed at the Slytherin blazer she was donning, "Just as I support yours."
Even though her request was absurd, Draco found that he couldn't refuse her. He smiled softly, and slid the pin onto the collar of his school robes.
"It looks perfect on you," Luna decided, nodding happily.
"Well, with a face like mine, how could it not?"
She laughed and shook her head, "Oh Draco. You are something."
"I tend to get that a lot."
"Hey Luna." Both wizards looked up as Ginny Weasley came to stand before them, "A word?" She sent Draco the harshest glare she could and he equalled it, never once quivering under her gaze.
"Oh Ginny, of course." She nodded and stood, "I'll be right back, Draco."
"Mmm." Malfoy stared after them, his eyebrows knitted into a low frown. What was that Weaslette playing at?
...
"Luna Lovegood, what the hell are you doing eating lunch with Draco Malfoy?"
Luna blinked; once twice. She was completely confused at Ginny's outburst of emotion.
"What do you mean, Ginny?"
"He's the enemy, Luna if you haven't realised." Ginny rolled her eyes.
"You are friends with Blaise," Luna said, not a note of conviction in her voice, "And he's from Slytherin."
Ginny shook her head furiously, "It's not the same thing, Luna! His father is Lucius Malfoy."
"Draco is not his father," Luna didn't know why, but she suddenly felt very protective of her new platinum blonde friend.
"Maybe not yet," Ginny narrowed her eyes, "But he will be one day."
Luna frowned, "Ginny! You know that isn't fair!"
Somewhere, deep inside, Ginny knew that she wasn't being entirely diplomatic about Draco Malfoy. But she also knew he was conniving and sly, and that he couldn't possibly want anything to do with sweet innocent Luna unless he had some ulterior motive.
But when she spoke this thought a loud, Luna's frown only deepened.
"So you think he wouldn't want to be friends with me, unless he had his own agenda?" She blinked back tears, "That isn't very kind of you, Ginny."
"Luna," Her tone softened, "I'm not trying to be upset you."
"Well you're doing a very good job of it, at the moment." Luna bit her bottom lip, "Me and Draco are friends, Ginny. I have somebody else to look out for me finally, not just you."
"How can you trust him?"
"People shouldn't be judged by their past, or their families Ginny, you should know that."
"His father is a deatheater," Ginny hissed, "He will fight against Harry and Dumbledore in the final battle."
Luna shook her head, "You don't know that for sure."
"Well," The redhead scoffed, "We'll see who will be the last one laughing." And with that, she whipped her hair to one side in indignation and stormed off, sending Draco an ice cold glare as she departed.
"What's her problem?" Draco turned up in front of Luna, watching Ginny stomping away.
Luna sighed, "She think you're only using me." She looked up at Draco's silver liquid eyes, "You're not, are you Draco?"
He shook his head, "Of course not."
"Good." She smiled a little, and moved to walk back to their chairs but found that she was stuck in the same position, held back by some unseen force.
"Huh?" She looked around confused, half expecting somebody to be pointing a wand at her, but found nothing out of the ordinary.
Draco loomed over her, his eyebrows scrunched up into a frown, "Hey what's going on?" She watched as he tried to move, and just as she had, failed.
"Look up lovebirds," Blaise called from across the canteen, "Mistletoe!"
And lo and behold, when Draco and Luna cast their glance upwards, they found a sprig of the plant hanging above them. Luna blushed instantly.
"It's charmed," She whispered, "We cannot move until we…" She trailed off, embarrassed to say the word.
"Kiss?" Draco raised a brow and smirked, "To hell with it." Then he hooked his thumb underneath her chin and very gently brought her lips up to his, pressing a gentle kiss there.
Luna felt herself melt into him, and if it wasn't for his arm that had gone to settle itself around her waist, she would have certainly fallen.
When they pulled away, Luna gazed up at him, her eyes glazed over and her mind all foggy.
"Did you just…"
"Kiss you?" Draco grinned and nodded, "Yep, I did."
And then he bent down for more.
...